Hey, this is the prologue!
I hope you like it. Please review.
I'll try to update as soon as possible. :)

5 reviews to the first chapter! And thanks to everyone who revied and already favourited and put the story on alert! Hope you like it.

Mitchi

Disclaimer: I don't owe HSM, I don't owe the songs I use either, as far as I'm concerned, I only owe the character made up by myself (Kelly Miller, Drake Cooper, Ralph Watson and some smaller parts). – If anyone thinks it isn't like I said I apologize and give all credit to them. Altogether I don't owe anything or anyone you would recognize. If it happens, it wasn't on purpose and happen accidently. Any connections to persons dead or alive are not wanted either.

Life's What You Make It

Prologue
You Don't Have To Let Go

All the days that you gave
All the moments you've saved me
Praying for my life
Sacrificed, just to make me
Who I am on my own
You don't have to let go

I can live
'Cause you lived for me
And I can love
Because you loved me

Gabriella Montez was walking home from Middle School, it had been her first day at Middle School and she had been very excited to enter a new part of her life. – She had been living in Albuquerque for her whole life of ten years and had a few, but very good friends. All of them were her parents' friends' children, who didn't got to Middle School with Gabriella. This was caused by her immense shyness. She really didn't like to draw attention to her, she wasn't the kind of person who had to be starring as number one. She was content with working in the background, making sure people who wanted to be in the spotlight had no problems.

She has always been a lively and perky girl, but only around the people who knew her well enough to be trusted. Others wouldn't see that side of Gabriella. Her parents always told her that she needed to open up if she wanted to make a good career as a prosecutor, if she was too closed up, she might seem selfish. But it didn't matter to Gabriella at the moment. – She had her parents who would spend every free minute they had, spending time with her and making sure she got along and was happy. If she wanted she could join any club or sports team because she was fit and clever, but she preferred spending time with her family. – The most important thing in her life, her rock and her saviors.

She crossed the road and could already see her house. She didn't even mind that her parent's car wasn't there. – They were really busy and would always come home about an hour after their daughter. Gabriella unlocked the front door and quickly went upstairs to put her stuff down in her room. She descended the stairway down again and walked in the kitchen. It was rather modern for time being. She looked around and saw a note lying on the small dining table.

Gabby,
Me and your dad aren't going to be home until 5 pm. Don't get scared, we'll be home sooner than you know. Lasagna's in the fridge, you only have to warm it up.
Love you, we'll see you later.
Mom and Dad

She left the note lying on the table and walked to the refrigerator and opened it to immediately find the lasagna mentioned on the note. She picked it up and put it in the microwave, only having to wait a few minutes to get her foot warm and ready to be eaten.
She sat down on her usual chair and began to eat her lasagna, her eyes wandering over the calendar fixed to the wall beside the counter. At the day's date was a big red circle saying "MEETING 1:30 pm". The meeting should be over soon since it was already 3:50 pm. In about ten minute's time, her parents would finally arrive home.
Gabriella put her plate in the dishwasher, together with her fork and knife. She refilled her glass with water and walked upstairs in her room, setting it on her table and bending down to the level of her backpack to get her things out. She got her schedule and sat down, studying it closely. – Her teachers, classes, free periods and all that kind of stuff.

She looked up and her eyes narrowed when she read the time. "4:35 pm". She got worried and stood up, walking downstairs. Her parents should've been home half an hour ago, maybe they got home and didn't want to disturb her? – No, they'd like to know how her first day in Middle School went. At least Gabriella believed that of her parents.
She entered the kitchen and her eyes fell on the note, still lying on the table. She roughly brushed one tear that had made its way down her rosy cheek away and took the note saying they should be home by now up and crumbled it, tossing it on the ground.
In her ten years of life, she had learned to live with her parents working nearly all day. But she didn't remember anytime they broke a promise to her. It was the first time in her life and she felt even more disappointed about it.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Gabriella walked in the hallway to open up. – Her parents? But they had a key, they wouldn't ring the doorbell then.
Gabriella remembered what her parents always said to her. "Don't open the door if you don't know who's out there." She looked through the blurry glass in the front door and noticed a tall man standing outside, dressed in dark clothes. She swallowed and took all her strength to say: "Who's there?"
"It's Officer Bentley, Ms. Montez please open up." The voice was deep and dark but still not scaring. Gabriella swallowed again and cracked the door open and glanced out. "My parents aren't home…" She mumbled, trying not to sound too scared although she wasn't really.
The police officer looked her straight in the eye and said: "I know they aren't there."
Gabriella's eyes went a bit wide and she opened the door fully, now facing the Officer. – She had to let her head fall in the back of her neck to see him in the eye. "How do you know?" She started to play with the hems of her shelves of her dark red hoodie.
The officer sighed and looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry to tell you that your parents suffered a car crash about an hour ago."
Gabriella's jaw dropped and she felt her eyes watering. "Are they alright?"
The officer took off his hat and looked at her intently. "I'm even sorrier to say that they died on impact when a drunken driver hit them." The last few words of his sentence were silenced by an ear-piercing scream.

"NOOO!" She fell down on her knees, burying her head in her hands, sobbing and shaking.
The police officer knelt down next to the crying 10-year-old and tries to comfort her. "Gabriella, I'm really sorry."
But Gabriella didn't listen to him, she was too busy crying. "W-What-t a-am I-I go-going to-to do no-now?" She sobbed uncontrollably.
Officer Bentley handed a handkerchief to her and watched as she started to wipe her tears away, but in vain, they didn't seem to stop. "You'll be brought to an orphanage since all your relatives are living in Spain. – The will they left at their lawyer said so as well." He whispered to her.
Then Gabriella found her strength again and stood up. "I-I think I-I sh-should start pa-pa-packing then?" Officer Bentley nodded and led her upstairs, helping her getting her clothes and stuff.

After she was done getting all her things and a few of her parent's belongings she was ready to leave the house, not wanting to know what would happen to it and Officer Bentley accompanied her to the orphanage in Albuquerque.
Gabriella cried all the time and even when Ms. Jones welcomed her she couldn't help but sob. Officer Bentley left, giving her a card with his phone number and e-mail, saying if she ever needed help she should call him. She nodded thankfully and put the card somewhere safe. – In her piggybank.
Ms. Jones then introduced her to her new roommates. – 2 girls. They were about 3 years older than her, but Ms. Jones knew that they would take care of Gabriella very well. Then they were alone in the room.

The girls introduced themselves as Emily and Tess. Gabriella wanted to smile so bad when the girls showed her her part of the room and helped her getting her stuff in her closet, they knew how she felt so they didn't say anything when Gabriella didn't talk to them.
They tried to make it as comfortable as possible for the little girl, who would grow to their little sister.

Gabriella was excused for a few days of Middle School. It wouldn't throw her back because the year just started, but still, Gabriella didn't knew what to do in her spare time. Normally she would have some fun with her parents or her parents' friends' kids. But after her parents died, she never saw them again. And she wasn't good at making friends. The only ones she used to talk were Emily and Tess.
But soon Gabriella found a new hobby, which would help her express herself. – She joined a dance squad.

1 and ½ years later

Gabriella was in the room she still shared with Emily and Tess. The two girls being 14 by now were out with some friends from High School. But Gabriella didn't mind that they didn't involve her in all their actions.
First, she was only Middle School.
Second, she was very shy and still had no real friends apart from her roommates.
And third, so she had time to practice her choreography. She had been on the dace squad for over a year now and the dance teacher said that she was one of the best dancers she had ever worked with. Gabriella felt proud of that, hoping her parents would've been as well.

So she was standing in the room, her earphones plugged in, watching her every move in the mirror in front of her.
She struggled at a difficult part and nearly fell. She regained her balance. "Gabriella, you can do that! Believe in you!" She thinks to herself and straightens herself again, trying the move over and over again and manages to do it perfectly.

4 and ½ years later

A 16-years- old Gabriella Montez watched her reflection in the mirror in her room. Tess and Emily standing behind her and admiring Gabriella. – She looked absolutely fantastic.
That night it would be her first competition. After nearly six years of practicing, rehearsing and inventing tons of choreographies she was allowed to attend a competition. – It wasn't something big, but still it was the Albuquerque Finals.
Gabriella made her way to the dance center, all alone. She couldn't have anyone around her who knew her except for her dance coach Catherine. – Gabriella hadn't overcome her shyness in all those years.

Gabriella met up with Catherine and they greeted each other with a short hug.
"Are you ready Gabriella?" She asked, squeezing her shoulders encouraging.
Gabriella took a deep breath and nodded. "I know I can do it."
"I'm sure your choreography will be perfect. I wish you would have let me see it before."
Gabriella smiled. "I thought it should be a surprise for you."
Catherine nodded. "So, I'll see you afterwards?"
Gabriella nodded. "Of course."
They hugged each other and Gabriella disappeared behind the stage getting ready for her performance.

So what do you think??

5 reviews to the first chapter! Please...

Mitchi